CHOCOLATE fans have expressed their distaste over changes made to Cadbury’s Dairy Milk bars since the British firm was bought out by US giant Kraft.

The new Dairy Milk bar (left) is still 59p despite being slightly lighter than the old one (right)

Fans of the iconic chocolate bar say they don’t like the sweeter taste or feel of the new bars, which now have curved segments instead of chunks.

Kraft has also been accused of a “stealth price rise” after it emerged the new bars had shrunk from 49g to 45g for the same price of 59p.

In debates on the Mumsnet website, hundreds of parents said the new bars tasted “oily”, “too ­sugary” or “sickly”.

Critics say the changes amount to “cultural vandalism” of Cadbury, which has been cherished since the ­Second World War when it churned out chocolate ­during the Blitz at its Bournville factory in Birmingham.

Part of the same factory, where Dairy Milk bars are still made, was turned over to making seats for fighter planes. Tony Bilsborough, a spokesman for Mondelez Inter­national, the wing of Kraft that runs Cadbury, insisted the Dairy Milk recipe had not been changed for more than a century.

However, Paul Young, a chocolatier with three chocolate shops in London, said changing the shape and packaging of Dairy Milk bars was a highly risky move.

Hundreds of parents complained about the new Dairy Milk bar on parenting website Mumsnet

I prefer the old bars in terms of texture and having the nostalgic taste, the smell of Dairy Milk we knew as children

Paul Young, chocolatier

Paul, 40, who has won awards for his sea-salted caramel and passion fruit curd-filled chocolates, did a taste test of the new and old bars for the Sunday Express.

He said: “I think people are saying the new bars are oily because of their perception of the shape.

“It is different in the mouth if there is no angle to it, which makes it feel smoother. I prefer the old bars in terms of texture and having the nostalgic taste, the smell of Dairy Milk we knew as children. The new one is slightly nuttier and the old one is milkier.”

Paul, who is exhibiting at the Cake & Bake Show at Earls Court today, added: “I think this will hit sales for people of 40 years and above. Even the packaging has changed from foil plastic to just plastic, which will change perception of the product.”

Mr Bilsborough said: “Cadbury has been receiving queries about the recipe for almost as long as the bar’s 108-year existence.

“We have been very clear and consistent that we have not changed the recipe of the much-loved ­Cadbury Dairy Milk, although it’s ­certainly true that we changed the chunk last year from the old, angular shape to one that’s curved.

“This undoubtedly helps improve the melt in the mouth experience and the feedback from consumers has been extremely positive.”